Two pin plugs with earth

Yorky

Yorky

Fullritis Member
As far as I was aware this type of plug was banned in Thailand a couple of years ago as the sockets into which they fit are not the norm here. However, I purchased an electrical appliance in Homepro today and sure enough it was fitted with this type of plug. I appreciate that the plug may be removed and replaced with a (non) standard 3 pin plug (they are available). However, the offending plug can be fitted with a screwed third pin quite easily. Homepro don't have any such screwed pins (and hadn't a clue what I was talking about) and neither do any other specialist electrical retailers that I know of in Surin. In the past I've asked in a multitude of electrical shops in Bangkok and a friend has also researched Pattaya but to no avail.

I shall be researching the workshops in Surin in an effort to find one that will make a suitable stainless steel screw in pin. If I am lucky, would anyone else care to purchase some?

2 pin plug.jpg
 
Yorky said:
As far as I was aware this type of plug was banned in Thailand a couple of years ago as the sockets into which they fit are not the norm here. However, I purchased an electrical appliance in Homepro today and sure enough it was fitted with this type of plug. I appreciate that the plug may be removed and replaced with a (non) standard 3 pin plug (they are available). However, the offending plug can be fitted with a screwed third pin quite easily. Homepro don't have any such screwed pins (and hadn't a clue what I was talking about) and neither do any other specialist electrical retailers that I know of in Surin. In the past I've asked in a multitude of electrical shops in Bangkok and a friend has also researched Pattaya but to no avail.

I shall be researching the workshops in Surin in an effort to find one that will make a suitable stainless steel screw in pin. If I am lucky, would anyone else care to purchase some?

View attachment 13016
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Heck NO. Cut it off and put the correct plug on it.
 
Yorky said:
I would imagine that 90% of SF members have at least one of these 2/3 pin plugs on appliances in their house(s) in Thailand.
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They may. I have zero. As I said cut it off put the correct plug on. Your playing about with grounding or earthing DON'T.
 
Yorky ..in fairness this is whats going on. The plug you show if you look at the appliance it goes to has a plastic outer case or frame and therefor does not by some require a 3rd wire or earth. The hole you show on the plug is where the earth pin would go but being cheep the manufacture uses this plug so even if you came up with the pin your looking for it would not do you any good, if you cut the plug off and replace you probably will not find an earth conductor in the cord.
 
I have cut these plugs off of new appliances before. Don't bother. There is no earth wire in the cabling. And even when they have three pins there is seldon an earth wire either. Just make sure your house is protected with a Safe-T-cut cut out switch.
 
That surprises me Nomad. I have cut off a few and generally they have three cables (European makes) although I haven't checked to what the third (earth) cable is connected to within the appliance.

I did buy a plug bar many years ago with 3 pin sockets and a 3 pin plug. Upon opening the case I found that although the cable was twin and earth, the earth was not connected to any part of the plug bar. Whenever I buy a plug bar now (which is rare) the first thing I do is strip the case to ensure all the leads are connected.
 
The earth pin is generally used to orient the plug in the socket the same way each time so the active is on one pin all the time. Maybe just maybe the manufacturer has designed the unit to be particularly single isolated and not fully double isolated which is a must in Thailand. They do this to save money on components.
 
Rice said:
The earth pin is generally used to orient the plug in the socket the same way each time so the active is on one pin all the time. Maybe just maybe the manufacturer has designed the unit to be particularly single isolated and not fully double isolated which is a must in Thailand. They do this to save money on components.
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If the plug is used in the socket for which it is designed, it will be orientated correctly. The earth is effected by the strip at the top of the plug (as photographed). Suitable sockets available here in Surin are larger than the normal 3 pin design so to replace all my sockets would require a little chopping and cutting. Much easier to insert the "optional" pin particularly if the appliance is not even fitted with twin and earth.
 
Yorky said:
That surprises me Nomad. I have cut off a few and generally they have three cables (European makes) although I haven't checked to what the third (earth) cable is connected to within the appliance.
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Just for information the appliances with twin and earth were an Electrolux microwave, a Tefal kettle, a Tefal toaster and a Hitachi washing machine (the latter was fitted with a two pin plug and a completely separate earth cable. My new LG microwave is already fitted with a three pin plug.

As an aside, many years ago we were staying at Eric's place (Monty on TVF) - Mabprachan Resort and another resident asked Eric if he had a solution to the problem that his computer cable was fitted with a 3 pin plug but the resort's sockets were only two pin. Eric just broke off the third pin!
 
don't f**k with ground connections in LoS

dangerous

LoS has this totally screwed up grounding system, local ground/earthing, dangerous.

(off the top of my head there are 2 countries in Europe that have the same shit, Albania and Norway)

problem with this local grounding crap is that earthing problems travel

if your neighbour has an electric thingie (eg washing machine) that leaks to ground, the f**kin' voltage will easily travel
from your neighbours house into your house through your grounding rod

treat it seriously if you have a grounded house, buy proper plugs and proper cables
have ample supply of circuit breakers
 
melvin said:
if your neighbour has an electric thingie (eg washing machine) that leaks to ground, the f**kin' voltage will easily travel
from your neighbours house into your house through your grounding rod
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My neighbour to the north is 150 metres away and my neighbour to the south, a little further. I don't believe either of them have a washing machine. Should this concern me?

I have twin and earth throughout my house (I was there when they built it) and a consumer box with 16 breakers. Two earth rods apparently still connected. Should I do more? House built 16 years ago.
 
Yorky said:
My neighbour to the north is 150 metres away and my neighbour to the south, a little further. I don't believe either of them have a washing machine. Should this concern me?

I have twin and earth throughout my house (I was there when they built it) and a consumer box with 16 breakers. Two earth rods apparently still connected. Should I do more? House built 16 years ago.
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What is the diameter, length and material of the rods ?
 
Given that they were installed 16 years ago....... I think 1 metre long or (possibly 1.5) and either copper or copper coated steel, 15 mm diameter.
 
Yorky said:
Given that they were installed 16 years ago....... I think 1 metre long or (possibly 1.5) and either copper or copper coated steel, 15 mm diameter.
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If they are only 1 to 1.5 meters they are as useless as tits on a boar. The copper coated is normal and the diameter is ok BUT the Rods need to be 2 meters or where I'm from 8 feet. The rods at my homes in Kap Choeng are 2 meter rods. The length of your rods is the normal Thai practice, NFG.
 
gotlost said:
If they are only 1 to 1.5 meters they are as useless as tits on a boar. The copper coated is normal and the diameter is ok BUT the Rods need to be 2 meters or where I'm from 8 feet. The rods at my homes in Kap Choeng are 2 meter rods. The length of your rods is the normal Thai practice, NFG.
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Don't beat around the bush GL, tell it the way it really is. 555.
 
Actually, I believe that they are 1.20 metres long as at the time, I checked the UK regulations which, although a minimum length was not specified, the norm appeared to be 1.20 metres. The UK regulations only require that the rod be effective at some impedance level (don't ask me) which is dependent upon various conditions, particularly the soil/subsoil composition. As GL states, it appears that in the States, 8 foot is normal.
 
Yorky said:
Actually, I believe that they are 1.20 metres long as at the time, I checked the UK regulations which, although a minimum length was not specified, the norm appeared to be 1.20 metres. The UK regulations only require that the rod be effective at some impedance level (don't ask me) which is dependent upon various conditions, particularly the soil/subsoil composition. As GL states, it appears that in the States, 8 foot is normal.
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Not the norm but its code or law. You and Thais are plying with fire with what your using.:eek:

BTW. The National Electrical Code or NEC has been my bible for over 45 years in my profession. It has never failed me. The reasoning for theses code. aka 8 foot ground rods have been deeply researched by experts. http://www.psihq.com/iread/strpgrnd.htm
 
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This is the socket for the shown plug. If you put the plug in, you will have at first contact with the earth/ground. Then you have contact with the electricity. You can never touch the pins of the plug when contacted with the electricity. The most safe system... But not in Thailand.
 
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